Paddling “Adventure Micro-Expeditions” Pros & Cons
7-minute read
With the insanely busy schedules many of us have, the thought of a paddling micro-expedition can be so appealing. It can be a great way to experience adventure on the water in a short time close to home.
(Photo: Headwaters Kayak)
There are many benefits to smaller paddling excursions over longer expeditions…but they also have their limitations.
Let’s talk about both, and you can decide if and when to fit them in your schedule, and why you may also want to opt for a longer trip occasionally, as your time and budget allow.
(That’s the real story here: We can make room for both!)
Advantages of a Weekend Paddling Adventure
Probably the biggest advantage of packaging a paddling adventure into a couple of days—a micro-expedition—is convenience. It’s just plain easier.
While you may dream of an extended sea kayaking trip or a backcountry packrafting tour in an exotic location, logistically these take a TON of planning, resources and proper gear.
They’re worth it, don’t get us wrong. But a short-and-sweet trip can conveniently be sandwiched over a weekend between work weeks. You may not even have to take a vacation day. Do enough micro-expeditions and over the course of the season you’ll be out more than you may have thought possible.
The second advantage of micro-expeditions is they’re great for building confidence if you’re new to the whole paddling adventure world. Maybe the idea of a 10-day trip sounds dreamy, but the reality of sleeping outside, paddling all day long, dealing with inclement weather and all the rest makes quite daunting.
Heading out for a night or two gives you some experience in all kinds of skills needed for longer trips: packing efficiently, loading your boat, paddling for many hours at a time, cooking over a campfire or campstove, handling weather conditions, and much more.
A few of these mini trips will help give you a good taste of what a longer trip may involve and help boost your capability and confidence at the same time.
(Photo: Avery Rosenthal-Murray)
A third advantage is that short trips are less expensive than long excursions—often dramatically so. If you only have two or three days, you can plan something close by that you can drive to (or even bike to), negating the cost of airfare, hotel, rental cars and other expenses.
Four, these short, nearby paddling adventures can often be spontaneous when the weather looks great, your weekend suddenly opens up, or you’ve just learned about a local spot that looks exciting.
Instead of having to plan months in advance with no idea of the weather or water conditions you’ll face, you can jump on an idea quickly. It can involve less commitment and also less disappointment if you have to cancel for some reason, because it’s easier to reschedule than a huge expedition.
(Photo: Headwaters Kayak)
The fifth pro of a short jaunt onto the water somewhere local is that it’s easier to find friends or family who can join you. For reasons we’ve already covered (cheaper, don’t have to take work off, closer), this can make the difference between someone all-in or definitely out.
A sixth benefit of micro-expeditions is you’re very likely to explore local gems you never knew existed. It’s human nature to think the grass is greener and way more cool somewhere over yonder than in our own backyard. But we bet there are many awesome paddling treasures nearby just waiting for you to discover and experience.
What county or state parks or water trails are a convenient distance away from your home? You can give them a try at little expense and inconvenience. And if everything goes wrong, you can always pack up and go home.
Finally, a big advantage of a paddling micro-adventure is that it’s probably doable as a “weekend warrior.” It won’t be nearly as physically taxing as a long excursion, so these kinds of trips are more accessible to kids, senior adults, beginners, and those who keep saying they need to exercise but never seem to get around to it.
To be clear, we think you’ll enjoy it more and experience less after-trip fatigue and soreness if you’re at some kind of decent fitness level. But not being there doesn’t have to mean you stay home from a trip that’s just a day or two long.
Disadvantages of the Adventure Micro-Expedition Format
Without a doubt, the biggest drawback of micro-expeditions over long expeditions is that you experience much less immersion—in the paddling experience and the area you’re in.
We’ve all experienced a weekend away when we’ve just started to relax, and it’s already time to pack up and head home again.
That’s not always bad, of course. Sometimes all we need is a few days to get out of everyday life and experience some change in a different and fun environment. But if you’re really looking to immerse yourself in a paddling lifestyle or to truly get a mental break from the stresses of life, a weekend won’t do it.
Another con to a short trip is that it can feel like you spend more time in the car than on the water, getting to and from your destination. A couple of solutions to that are to extend your trip by even a day (take one vacation day to make a 3-day weekend) or choose a spot that’s closer to your home.
(Photo: Land Water Adventures)
A third disadvantage of short paddling trips is that you can’t cover as much water. It's just not possible. Some epic destinations are located in remote areas that require many days and even weeks to paddle to, fully appreciate and immerse yourself in.
If you dream of sea kayaking for miles along a rugged coastline, you need more than a day or two. If you desperately want to get into the remote backcountry for some packrafting, just travel time to reach your starting point could take a day or two.
Next, if you’re newer to paddling or to this type of overnight adventure, you won’t have the time to build your skills as you would with an extensive trip. A micro-excursion can turn you into an enthusiast with more confidence…a macro-excursion can turn you into a skilled paddler and/or outdoorsperson.
The fifth disadvantage of a short overnighter or weekender is that weather matters a whole lot more. Half a day of rain on a two-day trip is 25% of your trip, while half a day of rain on an extended trip could be merely an inconvenience for a few hours.
Paddlers who are used to long expeditions build bad weather days into their trip schedule in case they have to hunker down on shore to wait it out. You have fewer options for that the shorter your trip is.
Con #6 is that frequent mini trips mean frequently prepping, packing, unpacking, arranging drop-offs and pickups if needed, food packing, gear packing and then unpacking and drying, and all the other details that go with a paddling trip of any kind.
If you don’t enjoy the process, micro-expeditions may not be for you.
Finally, while it may not occur to many recreational paddlers ready to embark on micro-expeditions, it’s important we not underestimate the challenge of even a weekend on the water with overnights.
(Photo: Jamie Cooper)
Even if you won’t be in the backcountry, it’s still important to be well-versed in safety best practices, to know how to navigate waterways, be aware of weather changes and how to handle unexpected bad weather, to have the right clothing and gear, and to have an emergency plan.
Less is likely to go wrong in 3 days than in 30 days, but the nature of emergencies is that they’re unexpected. They can happen on micro trips as well as macro ones.
We’re not trying to talk anyone out of a paddling micro-expedition. In fact, we highly encourage it! Focus on the first half of this blog post while being aware of the second half. That way you’ll be able to adjust your expectations realistically and get the most out of your short weekend trips.
Enjoy them! That’s the bottom line.
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us at 715-755-3405 or sales@aquabound.com, or choose our online chat option.
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